Fallen Snow (Working Title)

Chapter 1: Awakening

Marro retracted his eye lids. Before him was a dim gray light. He didn’t know where he was for all was a uniform glow before him. His eyes didn’t move yet. Just the lids seemed to respond to him. He didn’t know why he opened them so he closed them. The glow from the light was diminished beyond which there was little to tell the difference between the states. His head was covered in a foggy soup. Thoughts formed slowly in his mind. He opened his lids again and tried to look around and found his eyes had motor functions. He took advantage of this returning control and looked to his left and right and top and bottom. He could just catch the lip of something on either side but the rest was the gray light that dominated all that was his diminished world.

He focused his limited mental faculties on the lip to his right. It was bluish and metallic. He knew what it was but couldn’t form the word yet. He was someplace where he wasn’t suppose to be. The word came. He was in his Dormancy Capsule. Knowledge started to come to him more quickly now. He wasn’t suppose to wake inside the capsule. Yet he still struggled to recall where he was suppose to awaken. He slowly worked his mind around the word. Recovery. He was suppose to be in recovery surrounded by others who had been awakened. He wasn’t though and that meant something was wrong. He attempted a few more internal inquires but surrendered to the fog layers within his mind. They were slowly lifting and it would do him little good to grope around in the mist for an answer he was unlikely to find. He waited and let his mind wonder as he looked around his surroundings trying to make out more of them.

He couldn’t feel his body. It was numb to him. This was not entirely unexpected. Had he been properly revived he would have passed through the paralysis while still in a deep, dormant state. As he focused on his lack of feeling he felt a warmth rising from where he knew his spine to be. It reached outward along odd angles into the rest of him. Marro knew what it was but once more found the word for it elusive. As the warmth moved out from his back and penetrated into his core he could hear his heart. It was increasing its rhythm quickly. Too quickly he suspected. He hadn’t been aware of it till then and the increase in frequency between beats was unsettling. Drug. He recalled the word. He was being injected with a rapid recovery solution from his capsule. The reason for that caused him to return to his concern over what may have gone wrong.

As the warmth of the solution made its way into his limbs he found he could command his fingers and toes but he could not feel them. The reason for his surprise at the warmth returning to his body arrived in his mind as another layer of fog lifted. His mind was working more normally and he realized that he was cold. He should not be cold. Dormancy Capsules were never cold. The cold was likely related to the problem that had caused his sudden reanimation.

An emergency recovery, such as Marro was now experiencing, was very rare. So rare he had not ever heard of one occurring. He’d been informed of the process but it was not something he expected to experience first hand. Whatever had gone wrong was likely very serious. Yet Marro wasn’t an officer. It made no sense to awaken him in a crisis. Marro was a second grade survival specialist by rank, not an engineer or command grade crewman. His job was to scout, record and assess terrain. In addition to do the same with all flora and fauna in each region. He’d expected to be one of the first awaken and be sent to the new world they’d fled to but never be called upon in an emergency. Despite his grade and designation he was, as they all were, knowledgeable about nearly everything, but the most complicated systems. Any member of the flight was expected to be able to fill in for others. If he was being revived to fill in for another then whatever had gone wrong had impacted a significant number of the crew.

Marro’s hearing returned as the last mists of confusion lifted from his mind. He could move his head now and he took in the display on his left. His capsule was running on local power and was nearly depleted. This was the reason for which he’d been awakened. From this he knew he was no longer linked to the vessel’s main or emergency back up power. There was also the matter of the dim light that covered his capsule’s canopy. He should be able to see the rows of other crew capsules but instead there was only the thin light. From this he deduced that he was likely no longer aboard the vessel. His gravitational orientation confirmed this. He was being pulled down at his back rather then at an angle of thrust.

“Leah, status.” Leah was his personal artificial assistant and integrated network liaison. It would have been installed and secured within the capsule’s systems to be retrieved and updated from the primary network when he was to be revived.

“On board power has reached critical. Emergency resuscitation is now being facilitated. You will be fully restored in two minutes.” The feminine voice was tinged with a metallic twang that Marro found pleasant.

“Why have emergency measures been taken?”

“Solar energy harvesting has diminished greatly over time preventing sustainable power levels.” Marro looked up at the canopy now feeling more himself. The numbness had largely left his fingers. He studied the canopy. It was dim and diffused light, because there was a material that was filtering and absorbing light from above.

“Leah will there be sufficient power for you to remain active following my revival?” He tested his right hand, then his left. His feet were still very numb but it was from cold not the process. His heart was racing as the solution began to speed up his metabolism jarring his cells to return to normal functioning.

“The integrated ion unit has completely decayed. Stored power has been in use for the last three years to maintain capsule functioning. I can drain the remaining charge into my portable unit if you desire. My personal power reserve is also critical.” Three years? Marro thought as he flexed his arms at the elbow back and forth helping the restorative treatment take hold.

“Leah how long have I been dormant?”

“One thousand, four hundred, twenty three years and ninety eight days beyond mission specification. One thousand, two hundred, seventy four years outside of fail safe estimates.” Over fourteen hundred years? What could have happened? He asked the question of Leah.

“Unknown. Capsule date records indicate emergency discharge. Reason for the evacuation was not stored. I was brought online following discharge. I facilitated continued dormant functioning per rescue protocols maintaining dormancy and beacon broadcast until power levels reached critical.” Unknown?

“Leah is this capsule on a life sustaining planetary body?”

“Yes.”

“What is blocking the view through the canopy?”

“Precipitation.” Snow. He thought. It was likely very deep and possibly had thickened to ice directly over his canopy. He would not be able to open it then.

“Resuscitation complete.” Leah chimed.

“Are the emergency explosive de-couplers for the canopy in working order?”

“Running diagnostics.” Marro brought his knees up to his chest in the confined space in an effort to warm his legs and feet. His dormancy suit was rugged but thin. If this world was cold he would have to find or salvage enough to keep himself warm. “They are not in working order.” Long shot. He rolled over to his side so he could look directly at the display. The capsule’s power was nearly depleted from the resuscitation.

“Leah are the orientation and soft decent repulsers still active?”

“Running diagnostics.” Marro had thought, and voiced it. “Turn off all systems but yourself to conserve remaining power.”

“I will need to maintain the capsule network in order to,” He interrupted her. “Yes maintain the network to run diagnostics but switch to direct com rather then using the speaker please.”

Yes sir. One soft decent repulser is damaged, all others are in working order. The familiar voice of Leah chimed directly into his head.

“Do you know how deep the precipitation above the capsule is?”

I have charted it through this planet’s seasonal cycles. I can provide an estimate of the current level at three feet nine inches. Marro considered. If there was a section of firm ice it could prove a problem for the remaining engines to push through.

“Is there enough power to fire the repulsers?”

All remaining stored power will be drained in one point two, nine seconds under full thrust.

“Can you determine the weight or density of the precipitation?”

The capsule has limited external instruments several of which have failed. I cannot provide a meaningful estimate from the data they provided prior to shut down.

“We’ll have to hope for the best. Prepare to active all repulsers for full vertical thrust. No wait.” He had an idea. Perhaps he could rotate the capsule vertically so that it would have less resistance when traveling through the snow. “Can we attempt to orient the capsule vertically to the gravitational pull?”

Making preparations.

“Estimated power usage?”

I will abort the orientation maneuver if sufficient resistance is detected. Minimum charge usage will result in a time depletion from a full burn by point four seconds. A third of everything I’ve got, Marro thought. It could mean the difference, reorienting the capsule or it could cost him any chance by failing and expending needed energy.

“Abort reorientation and prepare to fire all repulsers to ascend through the precipitation directly.”

Making preparations.

“If we break to the surface cut all power and drain existing storage into your personal storage.”

Repulser burn ready. Marro braced himself within the capsule. If the maneuver failed he might be closer to the surface. He’d have to salvage from the capsule a means to dig and breath through the snow covering him and judged he could find sufficient material to do so. Yet success in that regard seemed slim. Likely the capsule would be inundated with snow trapping him at his first attempt to breach the canopy. He had no choice.

“Fire.” He committed. It turned out his concerns had been ill founded. After a shutter at the start the capsule shot up through a layer of solidified snow that had become thin ice then emerged rapidly from the soft powder that constituted much of what covered him. The repulsers shut off just shy of the surface and the remaining velocity carried him well clear of it. He held tight as he became momentarily weightless and fell back into the snow. The capsule descended into the powder burying its self several inches back into the soft white.

Burn completed, remaining capsule power has been diverted to my portable containment unit. Leah whispered into his mind. He asked her how long the burn had taken. Point nine seconds.

Good. You’ll have sufficient power to help me in constructing a power collection source then?

Stellar radiation absorption materials can be salvaged and integrated into my unit. Leah answered his thoughts. He worked the manual release for the canopy but it didn’t click out like he’d been trained to expect. The weight of the snow on top was still sufficient to jar the locks.

“Is the canopy’s locks disengaged?”

Yes.

With that Marro maneuvered himself so his feet were pressed against the inside of the canopy. He levered himself beneath them then pushed his legs strait. It was more then enough and the canopy snapped off taking much of the snow with it. Much snow pored into the capsule from either side, chilling him. Marro quickly stood shaking himself free of the snow flakes and surveyed his world. He could see hills to the east rising to mountains. To the north and west the land rolled away into pine forest. Plant life, and a lot of it, that was encouraging. He looked south and found the hills rolling down from the far eastern mountains that continued there. They were covered in think pine forest as well. Where there is life there is hope. He recalled the mantra of his people.

Chapter 2: Salvage

Marro stepped free of the capsule and sunk into the thick powder. He looked back at the snow filled capsule. He’d have to free it and find steady ground if he was going to dismantle it. He pressed through the snow toward the norther tree line which was far closer then the forest to the south. It was likely that he’d come to land in a shallow valley and over time the snow had covered him. If he was to find firmer ground his best chance was where the trees found purchase. The snow was deep and rose nearly to his waist as he waded through it, often crawling. Underfoot it would compress and he wagered that it was far deeper than the meter he sunk into it. He revisited his valley idea and wondered if he had in fact landed upon a frozen lake.

It wasn’t long before his feet were numb once more. He’d have to address his personal cover first but a fire would extend his time to figure out a solution to that problem. He found hard footing ten meters from the tree line. As he took his step his fore foot sunk only just over his ankle. Please at having found what he desired Marro looked back at the way he’d come. He’d have to drag the capsule fifteen meters through the thick snow. It was doable. He returned to the capsule and called up Leah.

Enter sleep mode till I command you to awake. He felt Leah’s connection to his implants dim to a whisper and he went about his work.

Marro first dug out the emergency repair locker at the foot of the capsule. Inside he found the customary tools. To his surprise the thermal torch still held a small charge. Since it was a non-networked, self contained power source, Leah hadn’t been able to tap it to add to the capsule’s power. But time had still leached it of much of its reservoir. He took the manual tools and set about removing the canopy completely. Once he’d done so he set it on the snow upside down and sat with in it. It sunk into the snow about a sixth of a meter. He’d hoped for less but it would still serve as a sled. When he removed himself from it it set atop the snow easily. He gave it a strong shove toward the tree line and was rewarded as it skimmed along the snow top covering nearly ten meters.

He activated his nanites and found his caloric reserves they could call upon to be painfully low. He’d have to eat soon. Despite this lack of fuel he engaged them and with their added assistance heaved the capsule free of the snow. He hauled it away from the cavity for several meters then let it rest unaided. It sank quickly, compacting the snow beneath it. He moved behind capsule and attempted to push it through the snow. Its weight proved to be too much and the rounded front soon plunged beneath the level of the snow. He took out the multi tool from the emergency repair locker and cut out strips from the backing fabric that he’d once rested against during dormancy. He tied several together into a long lead then secured one end to the foot of the capsule. He created a loop with the remaining fabric line and set it around his shoulder down to his waist. With that done he had began his trek pulling the capsule, keeping its foot end slightly elevated, to the firmer ground near the treeline. When he reached the trees he dislodged himself from the tow line and found the capsule resting comfortably, well clear of the snow sinking in only a tenth of a meter or so into the powder.

Marro made to return for the canopy but found that he could not feel his feet at all. They’d gone completely numb during his dragging of the capsule and he hadn’t noticed in his effort. He looked into the forest and quickly removed several needless branches from the pines there and set them in the snow. He returned to the capsule to recover the torch then set the broken branches alight with a quick burst from the thermal torch. He pulled some of the spongy backing from the capsule and set it near the fire to sit on. He extended his feet to the flames then soon straddled the fire with his legs and feet to either side. After a short while the numbness turned to itching and he suspected any real damage could be repaired by his nanites. He relaxed there for the space of an hour to warm his entire body before he returned to his efforts. The light of the world was waning and he wanted to set Leah free of the console before it became dark.

Marro managed to remove Leah’s portable unit as well as the survival locker and spare part locker before night took the planet in its grip. He studied the stars and found he recognized much of what presented in the southern hemisphere. Where ever he was was on their original course. He risked activating Leah despite not having salvaged the solar material to replenish her power reserves.

“Can you make a navigational estimate based on the stellar display?” He’d always preferred speaking to Leah out loud despite there being no need for it. He knew her portable unit didn’t pick up his vocals but rather the thoughts that formed them. Still it felt more natural to speak then to think his questions and comments. She was well aware of his preferences and had likely sacrificed power to use the speaker system in the capsule when he’d first been reviving. His superiors had often pointed out the inefficiency of it. It had never cost him until now.

Comparisons suggest we are on a planet orbiting the second to final gravitational maneuver. Freedom was to sling shot around this systems star according to course data. Marro listened to Leah as he looked up at the night sky for her benefit. Something had happened to their vessel that had caused him to be jettisoned from the Freedom to land upon this world. Whatever it had been only a catastrophic failure would have caused emergency discharge of dormant capsules.

By the light of his fire and his nanite enhanced vision he continued to take apart the capsule. After removing the interior paneling he decoupled the fiber tubes that administered air flow. They were nearly at a height with himself. Running from his toe to his shoulder. He then recovered the canopy and using the torch cut out a spear head from the light clear material. It was the most rigid substance he had and would provide the best for a durable cutting edge. He fashioned it to one of the fiber tubes to form a spear then wrapped the middle portion of the tube with the fabric he’d already cut for his tow line. He tested its balance. It wasn’t as heavy as he’d prefer but if held in hand and not thrown it would be a sufficient weapon should need arise. He cut another longer section of the canopy out as a defensive shield and burned anchoring holes for a grip attachment. He wasn’t sure what he might use to fashion a grip as of yet.

Through out the night he continued to take apart the capsule finding odds and ends and sorting them. From the remaining fabric and the spongy filling he crafted makeshift boots. They would serve for warmth if not nimble mobility. He located the capsule’s compressors for air pressure regulation and was able, with Leah’s instruction, to modify one with a hand crank. The compressor could store a massive amount of air in a few cranks and he worked one of his fiber tubes onto the exit valve. Crafting a trigger mechanism proved difficult with what he had to hand and dawn arrived before Leah had walked him through a makeshift projectile weapon. The fiber tube formed the barrel and the compressor chamber the propellant. The crack action was abandoned for a lever and trigger joint action. He could pump the lever three or four times to gain a sufficient air charge. Projectiles to fire from it proved difficult to find.

Despite Leah’s suggestion that he use segments of the smaller fiber piping he opted for the support struts that crisscrossed the back of the capsule. They were nearly the exact dimension of the fiber tube’s interior space. Instead of small projectiles they could be long, like arrows, so he could recover them. The problem would come in accuracy. The air pressure was sufficient to send the long shafts one or two hundred meters but the in flight travel would be poor after only a handful of meters. He had no way of rifling the fiber tube so opted to carve stabilizing grooves into the struts, they would spin after exiting the barrel from their passage through the air. His ammunition would stabilize its self to some degree. With the aerodynamic alterations made under Leah’s instruction he found the long projectiles had good flight and surety of course. He could fire one a nearly fifty meters with accuracy. It was far afield from a wrist or shoulder javelin but it would serve if the planet he found himself on was sufficiently primitive.

The discarded compressor with the crank he fashioned into a shorter ranged spread weapon. The larger barrel, formed from the spine of his bed support, could project just about anything. To start he created little cartridges from the left overs of his other efforts stuck into the remaining spongy foam. When he’d spent them he could stuff rocks and pebbles into the wide barrel or anything else that was sufficiently solid to withstand the sudden air pressure.

Not wanting to deplete the torch’s power by cutting the extra fiber tube into small sections for further ammo he instead cut them at longer intervals to keep with him should they serve some other purpose. Finally as day broke he carefully removed several of the solar radiation absorbent material from the capsule and set it out in strips. Leah guided him through the intricate wiring to allow him to link it to her capacitors and long duration storage of her portable unit. He formed the strips into shoulder pads and bound them to him with what little remained of the fabric of the capsule.

“I think it best if I found something to eat.” He spoke to nobody in particular as mid day rose. “I’ve done all I can with the capsule.”

It may serve to salvage the power storage units. Leah offered and Marro set himself to the task. He removed one as well as the display unit. He wired both into Leah’s portable system, he’d have a visual idea of her power level with it. Following that Marro set about organizing a way to carry all the various things he’d need to take with him. He’d managed to create a handle for the shield he’d created from the softer solution tubing. To prevent it from being cut on the outer side of the shield he’d ran it through several small pieces of the fiber tube. It still left areas exposed but it was the best he could do. His last act of salvage was the beacon and receiver. He had no way to power them as yet without compromising Leah but he couldn’t leave them behind.

He stood with his back to the sun allowing the flaps of solar absorbent material that ran down from his shoulder pads, fashioned from the same material, to get the full effect of the planet’s star. He stood for an hour in this way keeping his feet near the coals of his dwindling fire. The hour had provided Leah with just under a percent of charge. She was down to four point six percent. It would be more than enough to keep her going as long as he needed her. That was if cloudy days were not common on this world. He might even manage, after a year or so, to charge the recovered storage capacitor from the capsule that he could use to replenish his nearly depleted thermal torch or even the receiver and beacon. He clicked off the display to save what small fraction of power he could and set out into the forest.